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August 2012

Battle Cry: Report from the Front Lines of John Carter's Current Campaign

AMAZING STORIES & HUGE CROWDS!

HALLELUJAH! 100,000 PLUS IN PORT MORESBY

It’s Sunday night and the meeting has just finished. I have never spoken previously to such a huge crowd and we now have a big challenge. The people say, “There will be more tomorrow night!” Where will they sit or stand? On Sunday night, every inch of the national stadium was packed as far as the eye could see. People covered the surrounding hills and others stood beside their cars listening, but not seeing. They were too far away to see the giant screens, but they could hear the Message. The Spirit of the Lord came upon me and the audience listened and watched without so much of a rustle or a murmur. “It is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.”

BRUISED AND BLOODIED, BUT FIGHTING ON

During the preparation period the small Carter Report team worked 16 and 18-hour days. The locals found it hard to grasp the bigness of the enterprise and for a while the work dragged. Then during the last two days of preparation, there was a spiritual resurrection. The construction of giant screens, a huge stage, forty feet of blackboards, 10 towers for powerful projectors as well as the PA system, and television cameras, was completed. We came down to the wire, but there was a price to be paid. Bob Ludwig, sound engineer, suffered a serious blow and cuts to his head. Bart, a cameraman was bloodied on his forehead and David Carter struggled with an insect bite that poisoned his eyelid. The pressure of running meetings in Papua New Guinea leaves all team members exhausted. We hold on to the promise, “the joy of the Lord is my strength.”

THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S, BUT WE ARE HIS FOOT SOLDIERS

We sense that we are in the midst of a fierce battle. Papua New Guinea has a long history of the activity of evil spirits. Demonism is real to these people who have come recently out of Heathenism and cannibalism. When the Australian missionaries first visited this huge island, they battled against unseen foes. Demons on occasions would harass them, even to the point of taking human form. Those evil spirits are alive and well today and we are conscious that they are doing everything to drive us out. Satan’s kingdom is being threatened. Please pray for us.

LEAKING GAS STOVE COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY

We are staying in a transit apartment on the campus of Pacific Adventist University. On Saturday afternoon, the day after our opening program, we became conscious of the strong smell of gas filling our room. The gas stove had started to leak! Thank God this happened during the daytime and not when we were sleeping. God protected us and Pr. John Kosmeier disconnected the gas container that was at the back, outside the room. We no longer have a stove but we do have our lives. Glory be to God!

WHO HAS DESPISED THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS?

Isaiah said God loves to thresh a mountain with a worm. That’s just what He is doing here. It is not by power, but by His mighty Spirit. All glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

WE ARE VULNERABLE, EXCEPT...

Thank God for the “EXCEPT,” because we are at the mercy of the elements. We are vulnerable except for the intervening grace of Christ. We are outside in a football stadium with the sky as our roof. As I write, the wind is blowing and the clouds are sullen. Please pray for our equipment, but most importantly, pray for these lost sheep attending the meetings.

ATTENDANCE GROWING

The following figures have been supplied to us by local church leader, Pr. Tony Kemo, president of the Central Papuan Conference.
Friday night — 50,000 to 70,000 souls
Saturday night — 80,000 to 85,000 souls
Sunday night — 100,000 PLUS
People have decided to fly in to the see the program from all over the nation. We therefore expect the crowds to grow. Pray for these people.

GIVE NOW TO KEEP THE FIRE BURNING

The Carter Report is a small ministry with a big job to do. We take seriously the words of Christ, “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” We are paying all the bills to proclaim the Gospel to these hungry multitudes. There are no freebies. We are putting everything on the line here. Please partner with us and join God’s army to fight the battles of the Lord. We don’t need armchair generals. We need soldiers. Please send your best gift now for this amazing outreach of faith.

PNG TEAM STRONG

We have a great team of locals led by Pr. Tony Kemo. 60 churches are supporting the meetings. A powerful team of prayer warriors meets with Pr. Carter every night. We are moving out in faith, an army not divided, determined to conquer in the name of the Lord.

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF MEN AND WOMEN 10 FEET TALL

We are really having it easy, compared to the trials of our missionaries who came here during the first part of the Twentieth Century. Those brave pioneers battled Heathenism, malaria, cannibalism, fierce blood-thirsty warriors, and primitive living conditions. We salute them. With us for the PNG campaign are pioneer missionaries, Pr. and Mrs. Harold Harker and Pr. and Mrs. John Kosmeier. While they tramped the jungle trails during the second part of the Twentieth Century, they are members of a courageous band of heroes. Let’s not forget the lonely graves of missionaries and their children who died here spreading the faith in which they believed. PNG has never been easy, and this work demands its payment in full. We are here, not on some soft vacation, but to proclaim the Living Christ to lost souls who are perishing in sin and darkness. Stand with us, please.

Please write to John Carter today and please include your gift. Please hold out the lifeline to these lost souls. Please don’t forsake us at this time. We need your prayers and your gifts of grace. The Lord needs soldiers now. THANK YOU IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.